The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-06

archives are continually exposed to the
dangers of fire and theft. The erection of
court house, which will amply subserve
the purposes of the county business, is a
matter which appeals to our economy, to
our sense of justice and to our pride. The
preservation of the public archives is of
paramount importance, and the providing
of a suitable building in which to transact
the business of the county is duty which
we owe to the officers of the county and to
those who are compelled to attend upon the
sittings of the court. The county's court
house is one in which every citizen has an
interest. Chatham county is one of the
first in the State in points of wealth and
population. The pride of its citizens should,
therefore, actuate them to enlist their
hearty support in providing court house
building which will conform in every re-
spect to our progress in other things. We
are pleased to see that the County Commits
siCners have taken the initiative in this
matter by issuing and distributing a circu-
lar with explanatory notes, inviting plans
for the erecting of a new court house
and remodeling the old. The plans,
specifications and estimates are to be sub
united to a jury of award by the 9th of
July next This jury of award is composed
of gentlemen eminently qualified to pass
upon the matters entrusted to them. 1t is
to be earnestly hoped that under this COM
petitive system plans will be submitted
which will meet their approval, SO that at
the next session of the Legislature an act
can be passed, if necessary, authorizing the
County Commissioners to issue bonds in an
amount sufficient to defray the expenses in
CURED in the work.
JAIL,
We have investigated the books of the
Jailcr, the condition of the old jail build
ing and the prisoners incarcerated therein.
We find the books to be thoroughly system
lied and kept in good order. The expense
for the keeping and maintenance of the
prisoners is not more than is actually neces-
sary. The unsafe condition of the old Jail
building necessitates the employing of Ave
men to act as guards, at the expense of $500
per month, to prevent the escape of the
prisoners. The county will to some extent
be relieved of this burden as soon as the
new jail is completed. The prisoners are
we'll provided with wholesome food and
with bedding. The county physician at
tends upon the prisoners regularly and adj
ministers to the sick when necessary. The
sanitary condition of the Jail building is
good.
The new Jail building is rapidly progress
ing towards completion, and the contractor
thinks the building will be ready for occu-
pancy by the 1st of August, the time speci-
fed in the contract for its completion. The
structure, so far as we can judge, will, when
completed, amply fill all the requirements
for which it was inteded. The number of
cells is 11S In the old Jail building
there are only As. Due care has been
taken to provide suitable apartments for
lunatics; also for officers and other neces-
sary attendants upon the Jail.
The County Commissioners deserve our
lasting gratitude for their wise and judi
cious management in the construction of
this much needed public building.
THE OLD CEMETERY
We indorse the recommendation of the
grand jury of the last June term of the Su-
perior Court, relative to the desirability of
obtaining possession of the old cemetery at
the corner of Abercorn and South Broad
streets for county purposes. The fact of it's
not having been used as a burial ground for
over thirty years, and its neglected and
delapitated condition, is proof to us that
few if any possess any interest in it as
cemetery, and the few who may have an at
tachment of a sacred character ought to be
willing to have the remains Of their friends
and relatives removed to one of the ceme-
tries now in Use, where there would be some
assurance of having the graves properly
cared for, and this can not be done SO long
as they remain in the old cemetery.
sKIDwAY BRIDGE.
In the matter of a petition in regard to a
bridge across the Slddway river, before us
by representatives of petitioners, and by
reference from the County Commissioners,
we are of the opinion that this question
ought to be carefully considered by the
County Commissioners. We therefore re-
spectfully request that body-as the ''local
authority" in whom jurisdiction of the sub
ject appears to have been vested by the
Legislature-to investigate the necessity for
the bridge or bridges, and if they are found
to be necessary or expedient, then to ascer
tain the cost to build and maintain them, to
the end that if the urgency of the case re-
quireS the work to be done, special pro-
vision may be made for the funds necessary
for that purpose.
THE GEORGIA INFIRMARY.
In the matter Of the supposed inhumane
treatment of certain laborers on the Tybee
railroad prior to their admission into the
Georgia InfirmaIy for treatment, to which
our attention has been directed by commu-
nication from the Board of Trustees of the
Infirmary to the Solicitor General, and by a
report from the superintendent of the in
Urinary to the County Commissioners. re-
ferred to us by the Commissioners, wereport
that we are unable to elicit facts sufficient
To support the statements of those patients,
to wit: THAT they had had no shelter and no
food for several days, and were not per-
mitted to come to the city. The facts brought
out in our investigation Of the matter show
that these laborers received such attention
as to food and physical comfort, as is usual
and practicable in the quarters of laborers
employed as they Were; that instead Of not
being permitted TO come TO the city, they had
frequent opportunity and were advised to
do so, that they might be more comfortably
provided for ard treated in hospital; that
with the superstitious aversion to accepting
hospital treatment, characteristic of the
more ignorant of their race, they refused to
come to the city, and were at last brought
here in a manner against their will.
THE SHERIFF AND TIE CLERK OF THE SU-
PERIoR COURT AND THE MAGISTRATES.
We have made the necessary examination
of the books and accounts of the Sheriff, the
Clerk of the Superior Court and the County
Magistrates, and find these officials books in
suitable condition, and the records kept with
commendable regularity and order The
office of the Clerk is wholly inadequate to its
requirements. 1t is wanting in room for
the preservation of the records, and easy
access to them, and are every day in danger
from fire and deterioration, and cannot have
in the circumscrbed space the care that
these important records demand. The
Clerks office is not fire proof, and the grand
Jury must impress this upon the court and
in their presentments; they are we'll ware
that this condition OF the public records has
been repeatedly animadyerted on by sue
cessive grand juries, but it should be over
looked by none 1t is due to the public that
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